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Wow, interesting! I did not know that a flu shot could muck up other tests! Thanks for the info.

I will probably get mine at my next HIV appointment on the 26th, at the same time I get bloodwork done. But yeah, I keep thinking about it every time I walk into the drug store next door and see that it's free under my insurance.

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"Many people, especially in the gay community, turn to oral sex as a safer alternative in the age of AIDS. And with HIV rates rising, people need to remember that oral sex is safer sex. It's a reasonable alternative."

They should just give the flu shot after taking the lab work/vials for viral load. This is silly.

And this happened to me on at least two occasions. The blood was taken, and moments later, the flu shot was given to me at the doctors office. The same with the pneumonia booster.

There have also been times , where I have received the flu shot from work ( which is usually where I get it), and had blood tests done within 3 weeks. I would have to check my records for actual dates. I have never had any ill effect having it done this way, BUT, I was already undetectable at this point, prior to the flu shot.

Also wanted to add, that I have had the flu shot given to me , when my t-cells were less than 150. Although, I don't know how effective the shot was. But, knock on wood, I haven't had the flu either, especially in those critical times back in 2003 through 2004.

And your doctor suggested you postpone protecting yourself from flu in order not to screw up a lab test? Seriously?

Yes... We are monitoring VL a bit more closely than usual as resistance is suspected. Resistance, is, in my humble opinion a much more serious problem than the flu

My note is meant for people who are at the early stage of meds, where monitoring is a tiny bit more important.

Yes, I does make sense to do the flu shot AFTER the blood work. It happens that, here, HIVers receive a voucher mailed by our socialized medical system, simply go to any pharmacists, get they vaccine for free, go to any nurse, get the shot for free, without passing through the HIV clinic supervision.

These are 2 separate routes.

Which is why I go a bit suspicious, checked with my doctor and shared his recommendation (Blood work FIRST, then Flu shot) with those readers who might be in the same situation as I (not yet UD, etc.). I guess for most people (UDs) it does not matter.

Has anyone noticed they feel kinda bad (fatigue, etc) after getting vaccinations? After I got the H1N1 and the heps vaccines, I felt kinda bad each time for about a week. I just felt tired and like I was about to get sick. I also remember both times getting ringing in the ears or those strange pressure changes in the ear where it seems like you hearing decreases for a few minutes. It may have just been all in my head, though. The mind is very powerful.

I was planning to get my flu shot at my next appt in October. However, we are suppose to take a trip the following week, so I'm thinking about just getting it now so I don't have to worry about any perceived or real side-effects. Don't get me wrong, I know they have a very good safety profile and I'm totally for vaccinations.

No problems here. No more fatigue now than prior to the flu shot I got on Friday. Vaccinations of any sort, never bothered me. Tenderness around the injection site, depends on who gives them, and how tense a person is, when receiving it.

A far as ringing in the ears, I've had that for 7 years. I have tinnitus, that started shortly after starting meds.

Has anyone noticed they feel kinda bad (fatigue, etc) after getting vaccinations? After I got the H1N1 and the heps vaccines, I felt kinda bad each time for about a week. I just felt tired and like I was about to get sick. I also remember both times getting ringing in the ears or those strange pressure changes in the ear where it seems like you hearing decreases for a few minutes. It may have just been all in my head, though. The mind is very powerful.

I was planning to get my flu shot at my next appt in October. However, we are suppose to take a trip the following week, so I'm thinking about just getting it now so I don't have to worry about any perceived or real side-effects. Don't get me wrong, I know they have a very good safety profile and I'm totally for vaccinations.

I think some people do tend to have minor reactions to the flu shot. If you've noticed this in yourself it makes perfect sense to try to time the shot around your schedule. So...go for it!

Got mine friday. No fatigue. But my arm still hurts, feels like someone hit me real hard. But it's so hard for me to relax my muscles when I have a syringe coming at me, as Ray said it's much better if you relax.

An online doc recently gave out this link about vaccinations. It is from 1998. Is this info outdated now? I was surprised there was no ringing endorsement for the flu vaccine. They said many of us don't create a good response (if I read it correctly). The report did say it is probably still a good idea, because flu can lead to other respiratory illnesses and HIVers are at higher risk for those.

On that note, I was really surprised by the figure about HIVers and bacterial pneumonia. I knew we had a higher rate, but I didn't know it was that high. I was also surprised by the statement that there was no need, really, to have titers checked after getting the Heps. It was also saying that the Hep A vaccine may not be warranted unless you have sex with men or travel to certain areas. It also said there isn't much safety info on the Hep A vaccine.

Did I read all this correctly and is this info still valid 12 years after it was written?

I got my flu shot last weekend at Walmart. I almost had to clock some 87 year old lady for my seat but I got it!! She even tried to pull out the "I have a walker" sympathy trick. The nerve of the one yellow toothed woman. Sheeez.

I got my flu shot last weekend at Walmart. I almost had to clock some 87 year old lady for my seat but I got it!! She even tried to pull out the "I have a walker" sympathy trick. The nerve of the one yellow toothed woman. Sheeez.